The Best and Worst Villains of All Time

November 20, 2002

Shooter McGavin

Golf isn't known as a contact sport, but a failed hockey player named Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) does what he can to succeed in the sport of kings, all for a good cause. Happy's grandmother has been thrown out of her own home after failing to pay back taxes, and now it's up to Happy to find the money to save the house. He will have to challenge the most-celebrated golfer on the PGA tour, however, and right now, that's Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).

Shooter is a talented but incredibly arrogant jackass who delights in winning lots of money and praise, and firing caddies at will. Faced with the freakish talent of Happy Gilmore - who possesses a wicked slapshot that's been converted into a dead-eye fairway drive - McGavin rests on his laurels as a talent but does everything possible to have Gilmore thrown off the tour. As Happy begins to learn more about golf and improves his game, he becomes the Number One threat to McGavin's PGA title hopes. At one point, McGavin hires a stalker to harass Happy to the point of PGA rule-breaking and possible banishment. But the last straw is when McGavin buys Happy's grandmother's house right out from under him.

Shooter often tries to act like the bully of the schoolyard, but Happy's smart-ass retorts usually get the best of him. Take this exchange:

Shooter: You're in big trouble pal. I eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast.Happy: (starts laughing) You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?Shooter: (flustered) .....NO!!

Ultimately, with everything on the line, Shooter McGain must watch while the more popular and creative Gilmore wins the next tournament and buries Shooter's chances at being the star of the PGA. In the end, Shooter will be lucky to eat anything for breakfast after his last tournament, given the large crowd of people hoping to kick his ass. If you're not gonna play nice, you just shouldn't play at all.

INTELLIGENCE - 6: Shooter has some decent villainous plans. That stalker thing worked for a while.

POWER - 7: Golf is the battlefield of choice here, and Shooter's pretty damn good at it.